


Demonic Aura at the Shrine

by NeutronStarChild



Series: Demonic Aura [1]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Adult Rin (InuYasha), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Language, F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Rock and Roll, Slow Burn, Social Commentary, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24008923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild/pseuds/NeutronStarChild
Summary: The Shrine was special - it was one of the few safe spaces where humans and demons could get together to simply enjoy music and each other’s company, without the bigotry of the outside world judging them. When Kagome scores Demonic Aura, one of the most iconic rock bands around, to play at her venue, she is beyond excited. But what happens after the contracts are signed and she needs to deliver? Especially with a cranky roadie finding fault in nearly everything she does? And how will her venue survive the forces of bigotry that are trying to break it apart?[Disclaimer] : Inuyasha characters do not belong to meThis story is in myDivergent Adventures of InuyashaCollectionArtwork commission byPink HudyAdditional artwork commission byClearWillow(because IneededInuyasha as Ziggy Stardurst.)
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Rin/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Series: Demonic Aura [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019928
Comments: 70
Kudos: 109
Collections: Divergent Adventures of Inuyasha





	1. The Shrine

[ ](https://www.deviantart.com/pink-hudy/art/commission-Sesshoumaru-inuyasha-Koga-and-Kagura-844448962)

Demonic Aura commission by [Pink-Hudy](https://www.deviantart.com/pink-hudy/art/commission-Sesshoumaru-inuyasha-Koga-and-Kagura-844448962)

* * *

In a nondescript building on a nondescript street in the center of the city, Kagome Higurashi celebrated. She’d done it! She had somehow managed to make the best deal of her life. The Shrine was about to host Demonic Aura, one of the most iconic rock bands in existence. She was not even sure how it had come to pass. She wondered if it had anything to do with her editorial in the City Newspaper, supporting the revocation of the last separationist laws. She wrote about how music broke down the barriers of distrust, placing everyone on common ground. She wrote about the magic of the moments demons and humans intermingled, watching friendships and understanding and even love blossom for the first time. A query arrived an hour after the publication of that piece.

Would The Shrine be able to play host to Demonic Aura? At first she thought it was a joke, Demonic Aura sold out _stadiums_ . They went on world tours and did televised Live Aid concerts. They were on Tonight Shows. The Shrine was a venue that could handle a hundred, maybe two hundred tops. She knew she would refuse to charge VIP prices for tickets, because that was not what the Shrine was about. It was about being a safe place for demons and humans to gather and mingle. There was _no way_ that Demonic Aura would want to work with them, but then she talked to Rin, their manager. The contract was nothing if not exceptionally generous. Demonic Aura would not take a fee, but rather a cut. They’d get a cut of ticket sales, a cut of food/drink… a cut of everything Kagome would make money on during their appearance. And so she was going to pull out all the stops. Rin was the embodiment of a ball of sunshine, and Kagome decided she loved working with her. The human was endlessly upbeat, and had let slip that the Shrine was exactly the sort of thing the band loved to support. ( _So she had read the editorial._ )

Under Kagome’s leadership, The Shrine had taken on a life of its own. It was the vessel of her personal quest toward a harmonious world. Kagome and her brother Souta inherited the building when her parents died, caught in the crossfire of some demon/human conflict. Maybe that was why Kagome had dedicated everything to making the Shrine what it was. She never wanted to have someone else lose their mom and dad to something so senseless as being the collateral damage of misplaced hate. It had taken Kagome and her grandpa a while to bring Souta around, but he was now as much a part of The Shrine as she was, and an adept social media manager to boot. And so it was that she danced to the Demonic Aura ballads, celebrating another momentous step forward in her quest to further unite demons and humans.

“We got ‘em!” Kagome burst from her office and yelled into the venue.

“No shit, really?” Souta popped his head out of his own office. _She would have to talk to him about his language_.

“Yes! Dates will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, last week of May.” Kagome squealed, “The contract is signed!”

“This is HUGE!” Miroku was the next to pop out of his office, “I still can’t believe you pulled it off.”

Strangely, Kagome didn’t think there was any pulling off that occurred. When she got in contact with Rin, it was as if it had already been decided, and all she had to do was sign the paperwork.

“Let’s do something a little more exciting than our standard blasters. I’m putting a countdown clock on the site for the announcement. I’ll talk to graphic design about getting together something that looks really kickass,” Souta got down to business, even as she could still hear excitement in his voice, “How do you want to do ticket sales?”

Kagome paused. They had landed Demonic Aura, in a venue that promised to be one of the most intimate experiences a fan could hope for. She groaned at the likelihood of bots coming and grabbing them all if they used their standard procedure, and then her patrons would have to pay exorbitant prices to attend.

“Let’s do a lottery system. First people on our newsletter can sign up to get tickets, followed by everyone. We’ll release the first set of tickets to the newsletter folks, then release the rest a week later.” Kagome looked at her brother, knowing she was making extra work for him.

“Done!” Souta smiled brightly. She needed to remember that he loved challenges like this one.

“I’m countin’ on you kid,” Kagome called back, “But you’ve never let me down, so I know it will be amazing.”

“Tell Demonic Aura to send their tech requirements over as soon as possible. I have a feeling we are going to need to retrofit some of our lighting props for them - those guys really like their light effects,” Sango groaned, having followed Miroku out of the office.

“Now that we know we got ‘em, I’m texting Jinenji and Shiori to make sure they’re both familiar with their music,” Kagome grabbed her phone, “The sound needs to be perfect, and I want everything we do to be a little extra special.”

“Don’t forget that we have a lot of concerts coming before Demonic Aura, Kagome,” Miroku lectured.

“Of course not!” Kagome countered, “We need to up our game for everyone. But let’s make this opportunity count.”

High fives all around, and her team got to work. Both Shiori and Jinenji texted back immediately, and it became clear that she had nothing to worry about. Both were definitely already fans.

Kagome trotted home that evening, feeling an incredible sense of hope. Demonic Aura was one of her favorite bands. They played ballads, and mixed human and demon styles perfectly. Their lead singer Kagura was otherworldly beautiful, and had a vocal range that defied the laws of physics. When Koga drummed, you could tell he was doing the thing in the world that he loved most. Then there were the brothers. Rumor was that the bass player and lead guitarist fought constantly, but also that their fights brought their creativity to new levels. The bass player, Sesshomaru was tall and calm, strumming his instrument almost emotionlessly, save for the fact that the music that came from his bass was not of this world. That left Inuyasha, who Kagome considered her favorite. He was a god on guitar, creating ballads so immense that she could close her eyes and _see_ the story his guitar was telling. He spoke through his guitar, and she could listen to it all day. His music was longing, sometimes angry, often sad. Inuyasha’s personal story was perhaps also why his music resonated so strongly with her.

Inuyasha was a half-demon (technically he and Sesshomaru were only half-brothers, but neither really belabored that point). He’d _lived_ the intolerance of demonkind and humankind, being one of neither world. But he was also a symbol (probably unwilling) of what humans and demons were when they were truly allowed to be together. Inuyasha was the personage of what Kagome wanted The Shrine to be. It also helped that Kagome found him absolutely gorgeous.

And so it was, countdown clock ticking on The Shrine’s website, word-of-mouth rumors (started of course by Souta) that the clock was for some big band, and preparations started for the biggest score Kagome could ever imagine, not just for The Shrine, but hopefully also in her personal quest to bring together demons and humans in harmony.


	2. Hostilities and Threats

“Fucking hell, this again?” Kagome wanted to tear up the inspection notification on her desk, “Doesn’t he ever give up?”

“If this is the worst he can do, it’s not so bad.” Miroku was a lot calmer than Kagome, “At this point, they know you. The inspection will be quick and pleasant. I just don’t understand why he’s still at this…”

“He’s still pissed that I hired Shiori away from him,” Kagome fumed. Fucking Naraku. Fucking hentai disgusting creep of the underworld Naraku.

“She used to work… _there_?” Miroku raised an eyebrow, and Kagome nearly flicked his nose.

“You try getting a job when you’re a half-demon Miroku.” Kagome scowled, projecting enough hostility in her voice she hoped it was as good as a slap.

Naraku had become Kagome’s nemesis, even before Shiori. And with good reason, the slimelord was the proprietor of a number of maid cafés designed to cater to a particularly degenerate market. Kagome had no problem with people liking what they liked, but Naraku’s clubs were specific to people who wanted to degrade. Demon maids to tell their human masters they would do anything for them (and human maids made for the demons). Naraku was known to prize half-demons above all the rest, being both extremely rare and doubly exploitable.

That was why he was so pissed that Kagome had “stolen” Shiori from him. Kagome had put up an ad for a sound technician, and she felt like she’d hit the jackpot with Shiori, a bat half-demon with hearing and supersonic abilities that had immediately made The Shrine one of the most sound-rich venues in the world. Shiori had once told her that when people saw she was a half-demon, very few would even call her back, which was why she had taken Naraku’s job. Naraku made a lot of money off of Shiori, so he’d made it almost impossible for her to leave. Kagome had had to get Miroku involved to help Shiori break her contract, and when she’d succeeded, Naraku made their lives a living hell.

At least he tried to. He’d thrown lawsuits at her. He’d harassed her until she got a restraining order against him ( _that was a damn good day_ ). He constantly reported her venue for alcohol and noise violations, and had recently started trying to change its zoning to force her to sell it to him, so he could turn it into yet another disgusting one of his cafés. Kagome knew that he was after her in part because of what The Shrine represented, as much as it was because of Shiori. Degradation was a well-known fetish side-effect to highly bigoted populations, so the more accepting and harmonious a society became, the fewer people consumed degradation porn. Kagome was bad for Naraku’s business, and there was nothing Kagome would have liked more than watching that motherfucker go down. Rumor had it that he was deeply in debt, and Kagome hoped she would get a front row seat to the inevitable destruction of his “empire.”

For now, he was a constant nuisance, giving her brief reprieves before reappearing to give her a few more migraines. Miroku had become somewhat of a Naraku expert at this point, knowing every law he would try to use to harass them. But the ease with which they batted his attempts away did not make them any less annoying.

“Do you think his slimy informants have gotten word that we scored Demonic Aura?” Kagome asked.

“Not likely, but you may want Souta to keep an eye on the IP addresses of newsletter “sign-ups” just in case,” Miroku replied. She was so glad she paid him to worry for her.

“I’ll let Shiori know that the spider is trying again,” Kagome groaned. She wished she could go and exact some revenge on that slimy motherfucker, but she also knew that her lashing out was exactly what he wanted.

“Do you think he is going to try something new this time?” Miroku’s eyes grew dark, “This feels pedestrian compared to some of his more recent stunts…”

“I want to just… not think about it for now, if that’s okay,” Kagome pinched the bridge of her nose, “Talk to Souta about everything that you’re worrying about. I am sure he’ll have strategies to guard against at least most of them.”

Miroku nodded. The two looked at each other. They understood the stakes. Scoring Demonic Aura was huge, and could mean everything to the Shrine. But if things went wrong, they would go wrong spectacularly. They couldn’t afford to have Naraku weaving his webs right now.

“On it,” Miroku walked out of Kagome’s office, inspection in-hand, “I’ll make a couple of calls to see what Naraku’s been up to. _You_ need to get prepped. I heard that Demonic Aura is sending some of their people next week to inspect the place, and you need to sleep between now and then.”

“That’s why I pay you the big bucks,” Kagome countered, but Miroku was right. She breathed in deeply, pushing her worries about Naraku out of her mind. She had work to do.


	3. Enter the Dog

“Sango, how’s it going?” Kagome looked up at her tech manager, who was busy testing the reinforcement for the new lighting booms.

“Good - I think a pissed off dragon could fist-fight a bear on the catwalk and this thing would stay in place,” Sango called back down.

“We’re not the sort of place where those brawls happen,” Kagome retorted, “But… glad to hear it.”

Demonic Aura was sending some sort of advanced scouting team, who were due in an hour. Kagome looked extremely forward to meeting Rin in person, and was making the final touches to some upgrades to their infrastructure for “Mad Dog”, apparently the band’s tech manager. Rin had warned Kagome that Mad Dog had a bit of a temper, but not to let that get to her.

_ Bit of a temper, calls himself Mad Dog. I feel like I already know exactly who this guy is. _ Kagome mused. She’d met so many of them before. As long as Mad Dog was no bullshit, Kagome would be fine.

Kagome sighed and looked at the project chart on her iPad. They were about halfway through their upgrades. It was costing money, but she knew it would be worth it. First lighting, then sound, then venue. Souta had done wonders for the social media campaign, and the demand for tickets far exceeded the supply. Jinenji was experimenting with different flavor combinations for the signature drinks. Kagome still had not decided where to outfit the band’s merchandise stand, but hoped perhaps Rin and Mad Dog could find a place they liked.

“Hey Sango, once you’re finished up with that boom, why don’t you head back to your office. I don’t exactly know what they’ll want, but you hanging from the rafters is probably not it.” Kagome called up to her tech manager.

“Got it boss,” Sango replied, making one final check of the boom before heading down the ladder, “Guess we never book anyone this big. Not used to people coming here and checkin’ my work.”

Kagome nodded. Though to her, it made some sense. Demonic Aura was famous - the band members probably had insurance policies taken out on their hands and voices. Keeping them safe was a top priority, and honestly added to Kagome’s stress level. The rider Rin sent over from their last concert was … daunting… but Kagome was getting through it.

Kagome was fastidious about safety standards (not just because of the constant barrage of inspections courtesy of Naraku), and Sango’s work was always impeccable, but still, she worried. Mostly she worried about what could happen outside the Shrine, rather than the inside. The Shrine was a fortress, and she never tolerated even a whisper of bigotry under her watch, but you never knew.

Kagome looked down at her mapped out plan one more time. Demonic Aura was about to find out what the Shrine was capable of. They were ready. Or so she thought.

Everything seemed normal at first. Rin was dressed in a neat pantsuit with her hair pulled back in a pin. She had bright wide eyes, and a full smile. When Rin saw Kagome, her eyes began to twinkle, and her smile grew even wider. Mad Dog was a different story. The man clearly knew no other facial expressions besides a scowl. He had long black hair, tied back in a braid. Were it not for the sour look on his face, one might even consider him handsome. He wore a black hoodie, jeans, and black work boots. His eyes were dark violet, and his appearance shimmered to Kagome’s eyes.

_ He must be wearing a glamour. _ Kagome frowned. She understood why so many demons did it, but looking at a glamoured demon always made her feel a bit dizzy. Shiori also had told her glamours were uncomfortable to wear, so she tried to make everyone feel comfortable enough to take them off when they were in the Shrine. Jinenji had taken some convincing, but once he’d removed it, he never wore it inside again.

“You must be Kagome!” Rin bounded over to her, “It is so nice to finally meet you in person! And this place is  _ amazing _ !”

“It is nice to meet you as well Rin,” Kagome replied, not missing the fact that Mad Dog had now  _ audibly _ scowled, “And nice to meet you Mad Dog.”

“Keh.” Mad Dog folded his arms, making himself look even more unpleasant.

“Ehm, I notice you’re wearing a glamour,” Kagome tried to look at the man’s eyes, but they kept shifting out of focus, “I just wanted you to know that the Shrine is not a place where such things are needed. So if you feel more comfortable, you can take it off.”

“How the fuck did you know I was wearing a glamour?” Mad Dog growled. Even Rin twitched at his language.

“Oh, sorry. I spend enough time with demons that I’m just sorta sensitized. I know that they are not the most comfortable spells to wear. And… glamours make me a bit… dizzy…” Kagome replied, pushing herself to be as polite as possible. This was not off to a great start…

“Then try not to puke on me sweetheart,” Mad Dog said the last word with enough venom that Kagome had to clench her jaw again to keep her temper.

“Apologies  _ sir _ , I merely hoped to ease your discomfort a bit. I’m sure my brain will get used to it,” Kagome replied,  _ fat chance. _

“Mad Dog is… set in his ways,” Rin looked really and truly apologetic, “Now! We’re here to see how things are going! I’ve been following your social media rollout, it’s been marvelous!”

“Keh.”   
Kagome considered what would happen if she threw Mad Dog out. Probably nothing good. She settled for glowering at him.

“Oh yes! Rin, please let me introduce you to my social media expert and brother, Souta!” Kagome snapped her eyes away from the glimmering scowling roadie and onto Rin, “Our lawyer Miroku is also up there, happy to go over anything regarding prep or contracts.”

“Wonderful! Just show me the way,” Rin grabbed Kagome’s arm, shooting Mad Dog what could only be described as a warning look.

Kagome walked Rin up to meet Souta, Mad Dog and his scowl following behind them. When Rin was safely chatting away with Souta and Miroku, Kagome took a deep breath, to face her adversary. He glared right back at her.

“So… Mad Dog… what would you like me to show you?” Kagome said the words nice and sweet, but made sure that her eyes said everything else. She had not expected a fight, but if he were going to put one up, she was ready for it.

“Why don’t you start by explaining how you got Rin to agree to this shithole.” Mad Dog took the first attack.

His words stung. There was no getting around it. And they blindsided her. Kagome absorbed the blow into her psyche. If he only knew the reservoir she had for absorbing and storing pain…

“I’m  _ sorry _ , I had no idea you were so adept at insulting your manager as well as me  _ and my staff _ in a single sentence. You really must be something  _ Mad Dog _ , so why don’t you tell me what’s pissing you off?” Kagome let the fire start in her gut, her words still sweet, but now she was approaching the danger zone.

“You fucked us,” Mad Dog was living up to his name, his hackles up even under the glamour.

_ Fuck, that hurt even worse. _ Even Kagome thought he was right. The contract was so good. Too good.

Kagome let out a shuddering sigh, the nastiness of his words was adding to her headache.

“Then how do I make it better.” she asked,  _ like I can afford whatever it is this asshole thinks the band deserves. _

“For one, Demonic Aura don’t perform in shitholes like this. The sound is gonna get absorbed into those fucking walls. Your speaker system looks old and there is no fucking way this place can support the lighting and effects we bring to our shows.” Mad Dog growled.

Kagome gritted her teeth. She could feel the eruption coming.  _ Not yet. Keep your cool. _

“Want to take a tour of the catwalk with me? Let’s look at the lighting rigs we have installed for you,” Kagome stared daggers into the glamoured roadie. She almost called to Sango, but thought better of it. Sango would push Mad Dog off the catwalk if he insulted her work. Kagome would just add it to the fire.

“Keh.” at least Kagome’s answer seemed to have put off his nastiness.

“Shall we?” Kagome pointed to the ladder, realizing he didn’t think she would actually go through with it.  _ He must think I am some front of house bimbo. Well tough little man, you’re about to get more than you bargained for. _

Resigned, Mad Dog walked to the ladder, followed by Kagome. No way was she going up the ladder first - she didn’t care that he seemed to hate everything about her. No man got that sort of front row seat to her ass…

“Don’t you worry. I know how much your band loves their lighting effects. Rin sent us the rider from your stadium concert, and we’ve been adapting it to our space. I’ve even ordered the special gels that make the brothers’ hair look moonlit. (Yes, I did read the rider that close.)” Kagome could not keep the venom out of her voice, “We’ve reinforced all of our booms and have ordered a couple more lights. They’re on their way and will be installed in about a week.”

Mad Dog had stayed silent through Kagome’s extra-detailed tour on the catwalk, so much so, that she thought she’d won as they climbed back down. Alas...

“Impressive, a fucking band gets to look pretty,” Mad Dog wasn’t ready to let it go.

_ Breathe, Kagome, breathe. _

“Well, the sound upgrades start… tomorrow. Lighting was more important-” Kagome started.

“Oh yeah,  _ lighting _ is the first fucking priority for a band…” Mad Dog interrupted.

“NO.” Kagome’s temper flared, the chain reaction beginning, “Safety is the most important you arrogant asshole. Lighting first because if you used your standard rigs on our equipment, your fucking pretty-looking band could get squashed. So we focused on that. Now that that is done, we move onto upgrading our sound system, and you bet your glamoured ass it is going to sound better than those goddamned stadiums.”

“Like you have any idea---” Mad Dog barked.

“Oh RIGHT. I own a fucking concert venue and know nothing about sound. You think I wiggle my little ass and magically this place runs?” Kagome was seeing red. She was going too far, so of course she continued, “I have one of the most amazing sound technicians in the world working for me. She will make the people listening to your band’s music here see god. So step off, because if you insult Shiori I am going to …”

“FEH, like a measly human could even come close to---” Mad Dog yelled back, but Kagome was not done.

“Shiori is a bat half-demon you ingrate! Not even the brothers can compare to her. As I said. Step. Off.” Kagome could feel it, if he said another thing about Shiori, the Kagome volcano was going to go off.

That stopped Mad Dog. He looked at Kagome, who was still fuming, just on the edge of her own temper. Kagome breathed, letting the fire recede.  _ At least he has good survival instincts _ .

“You hire half-demons?” his voice was surprisingly level.

“Wait… what?” that was not what Kagome was expecting.

“Half-demons. You hire them.”

“Of-fucking-COURSE I hire half-demons,” the Kagome volcano had erupted, “Here I thought you reached out to me because you understood this fucking place. The Shrine isn’t some money-grubbing adventure to me. God knows it is not. It is my way of trying to make the world better - giving humans and demons a safe place to just enjoy some music together. So fucking YES I hire half-demons. And full demons. And humans. And YOU of all people should---”

Kagome’s rant was cut short as two hands cupped her cheeks, and a gentle kiss was pressed to her forehead.

“No wonder Rin picked you,” Mad Dog’s voice was suddenly as gentle as his kiss, “Send Rin your work plan. I’ll let you know if we need anything else.”

Mad Dog walked out of the venue with a lazy wave, leaving Kagome to just dumbly stare at the spot he’d been standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 guesses as to who "Mad Dog" is.


	4. Setting the Mood

After the most confusing encounter ever, everything else went well. Rin had loved their work plan, had praised their refusal to sell any high-price VIP tickets, and decided on a merchandise kiosk, so they didn’t take up additional space. Rin left with an enormous smile on her face, promising Kagome that she’d keep Mad Dog under control.

The sound system was upgraded the following week, and went without a hitch, so that afternoon Shiori and Kagome were going to do their favorite thing: commune with the music and set the mood.

Jinenji had been beside himself excited with his creations: having made a drink that represented each member of the band. Kagura’s drink was spicy, colored deep red from the berries and peppers that complemented the biting spirits beneath. Koga’s drink was joyous, with a deep burnt caramel flavor and a rum base. Sesshomaru’s drink was crisp and clean, seemingly unflavored until it hit the throat, then exploded with an icy tingling on the tongue. Finally, Inuyasha’s drink was deceptively simple, just an old fashioned, with a smooth bourbon. Yet, when Kagome drank it, she could  _ feel _ things deep inside of her soul. Jinenji had done it again - his drinks reflected their music perfectly.

“Perfect.” Kagome did not need to say any more words, because that was the truth.

“Really?” Jinenji lit up with joy, “Be-because I was worried. I thought… maybe I was wrong this time.”

Kagome looked at the horse half-demon and put her hand to her heart, “103 for 103 Jinenji. We’re at an over 100 winning streak. Proof that you’re the best drink slinger in the land!”

Jinenji blushed. Kagome loved his earnestness. He was truly a master of his craft. Kagome was not sure how people had managed to overlook the gentle giant for so long (okay, she knew  _ exactly _ why they had…). Jinenji was on the street selling herbal remedies that actually  _ worked _ when she first met him. Kagome remembered approaching the glamoured half-demon, and decided to take a chance and offer him a job at the Shrine. Jinenji exceeded her every expectation, and within a week Jinenji had become her head bartender. He was both a perfectionist and creative, making him immediately popular amongst the Shrine’s patrons. It took Kagome a while to convince Jinenji to remove his glamour, but when he did, people patted him on the back, giving him confidence in who he was for the first time since he was a child. And somehow, the master got even better at his job. 

Kagome always considered Jinenji her litmus test. People who spoke poorly of the gentle bartender had a habit of causing her problems. Shiori kept a close listen, and inevitably, anyone who’d treated Jinenji poorly seemed to find trouble for themselves, and were ultimately banned from the Shrine. Soon the patrons adopted the same unspoken rule - abuse Jinenji and be shunned. Perhaps it kept a few canny folks from saying what they ultimately wanted to, but mainly it ensured that the Shrine was the place Kagome dreamed it could be.

“Alright Jinenji, you’ve outdone yourself yet again, feel free to head home. Shiori and I are about to get to work.” Kagome patted her bartender on the shoulder.

“Okay! I need to stock up - have a feeling these are gonna be hot!” Jinenji bounded out of the Shrine, throwing his glamour on the moment he exited the door.

“You ready?” Kagome looked at her sound technician, who had that look of pure concentration she knew to mean it was time.

She knew that since the sound upgrades had finished in the morning, Shiori was itching to test them out. Honestly, so was Kagome.

“Let’s do it.” Shiori let her eyes light with demonic energy. It made her look even cooler than usual.

Shiori cranked up the Demonic Aura album, and Kagome walked to the front of the stage. After a few stuttered starts, with Shiori making adjustments, Shiori finally called “ready”, and Kagome closed her eyes. She drank a Kagura, and felt the fire light throughout her being, and she danced. She pictured the people who would be standing in this place, admiring the frontwoman and belting out the songs as she sang them. She could feel the pulsing of the music, absorb the frenetic energy and live in that space. With a glance up, she nodded at Shiori. The mood was right.

“Head to the back near the bar - I want to tune Koga there.” Shiori instructed, Kagome obliged.

Kagome leaned back against the bar, now with a Koga in her hand to sip. She pictured the patrons in that place, nodding their heads and resisting the urge to dance to Koga’s playful beats. Was the temptation to dance too much there?

“Shiori - still feeling like I need to dance. Can we make it just a bit smoother back here?” Kagome called. She felt Shiori’s ultrasonic pulse, meaning her sound tech was testing the room.

“How’s this?” music resumed, and Kagome sipped once more and closed her eyes. The music was still enjoyable, and she bopped her head to it, but she did not feel the need to dance.

“Mood’s right - nice going!” Kagome called up to Shiori.

“We’re not going to know if it’s perfect until sound check.” Shiori corrected her. Yet another one of her half-demon perfectionists.

“Yeah yeah… next?” Kagome rolled her eyes.

“Border between dancing and standing,” Shiori called. Kagome knew exactly where she meant.

“What are you testing?” Kagome called back.

“Koga again.” 

“Do you want to try to force the person to make a decision, or feel happy just standing there?” Kagome asked.

“Let’s make ‘em dance or back away,” Shiori giggled.

“Ready!” Kagome closed her eyes. Took another sip of her Koga, and pictured the person who stood on the outskirts. Koga started playing, and there was just enough vibration in her that she wanted to choose. Should she dance or back away? Kagome chose to dance, taking one step forward. The sound and energy increased enough that she felt herself getting lost to the joyful beats. She backed away again, this time taking three extra steps back. The music was more muted, like when she was at the bar.

“It might be a little soft when you back up, but the energy when you dance is perfect,” Kagome called up to Shiori.

“Go pick up a Sesshomaru. Let’s see what happens then.” Shiori instructed, and Kagome headed back to get her third drink.

In the borderlands, with Sesshomaru in her hand, Kagome listened to the bass. If she was drawn forward, it was still subtle, but forced her to open her eyes. Were she to move forward, she would want to watch the silver-haired bass player, trying to pick up on his subtle movements. If she moved back, she would close her eyes, and just let the music bathe her.

“Bass is perfect here.” Kagome called up to Shiori.

The music went silent then.

“We have a visitor,” Shiori called down to Kagome.

Kagome felt the scowl come to her face. Who the hell waltzed into her venue on a Tuesday afternoon during her favorite part of prepping for a new band? She spun around to see who’d walked in, only to find words were not coming from her mouth. The dizzying glamour of the roadie who kissed her forehead walked her way.

“Did I interrupt?” Mad Dog’s obnoxious smirk was just enough to remind her that the Kagome volcano had not yet completely worn itself out.

“Yes.” Kagome deadpanned. No sense in telling him to go the hell away, especially given he was repping the very band that Shiori and Kagome were currently setting the mood for.

Mad Dog looked up and saw Shiori in her sound booth. Shiori exchanged the same scowl with him that Kagome had. She was so proud to see she’d rubbed off on her employees.

“Made a couple of revisions to your plan,” Mad Dog said, handing Kagome a piece of paper.

“Did you seriously print out my plan, red ink it, then walk it over here?” Kagome pushed down the fire.

“Yeah. Sue me. I’m old fashioned.” Mad Dog scoffed.

Old fashioned. Odd choice of words. It made Kagome wish she had the Inuyasha in her hand, either to down in a single gulp or throw on Mad Dog. Kagome snatched the plans from Mad Dog, staring down at her carefully laid out schedule. There was red ink everywhere on it. Kagome could feel the fire of her temper begging her for escape. She and Shiori were prepping the Shrine for Demonic Aura, this was not something she had time for right now.

“You do realize that half the things you crossed out on here are already done, given that the x-axis on this damn thing is  _ time _ right?” Kagome kept the fire under control, but not the scowl.

“Yeah well… it took a while to get to it. I’ve been busy.” Mad Dog retorted.

“So have we.” Kagome was not going to give into her temper… she wasn’t…

“So what the fuck are you even doing right now? Smells like you’ve been drinkin’” Mad Dog’s smirk only encouraged Kagome’s scowl.

“Sound testing.” the voice was not Kagome, but Shiori, who had come down to stare at the new arrival.

“You that half-demon sound tech?” Mad Dog stared at Shiori. That was the trigger.

“If I hear you say a single bad thing to Shiori, not only will I throw you out, but I will fuck you up so badly that you’ll be pissing out of your nose,” Kagome volcano was back.

“Jesus christ woman, that wasn’t meant as an insult,” Mad Dog backed away, “Seriously, I am sort of excited to meet her.”

“Pissing… out of your… nose…” Kagome repeated. After the things Shiori had mentioned Naraku said to her, Kagome was a bit… protective.

“Fine fine. Shiori it is really nice to meet you. Kagome - you’ve got the plans, I’ll be going. Doesn’t change your budget and the only changes I made were taking things off your plate.” Mad Dog looked at Kagome… earnestly, “Demonic Aura can handle some of the shit you guys were doing.”

Shiori glanced over Kagome’s shoulder, “Oh no. I’ll be doing your sound check.”

“We have two dog demons…” Mad Dog argued.

“Dog demons have good hearing, but they don’t have an ear for mood. They can’t feel the way the beats pulse through a place. Only bats can do that,” Shiori stared at Mad Dog. Kagome was impressed with Shiori’s response. Good to see she was not the only person who wanted to wring Mad Dog’s neck.

“Let us show you,” Shiori continued. At that Kagome started.

“Wait, what?” Kagome looked mutinously at her sound tech, who merely smiled. 

“Bring it on, bat,” Mad Dog replied, the annoying smirk firmly back on his face.

Shiori turned her smile to Kagome, “I want to test  _ Inuyasha _ next. Can you head up to the balcony Kagome?”

Kagome huffed. She didn’t want to, not with Mad Dog. This was her and Shiori’s special time. And she wanted to savor Inuyasha - both the drink and the music. But she did as her sound tech asked, storming off to the bar to swap drinks, then up to the balcony.

If Kagome had not been so preoccupied with her anger, she might’ve noticed Shiori lean into Mad Dog and say, “you know, glamours don’t work on bats.” And she might’ve seen Mad Dog blanche.

But Kagome didn’t. Instead, she stood in the balcony and watched Shiori head back into her booth, holding her Inuyasha and keeping her temper under control. Mad Dog met her on the balcony.

_ Chill Kagome. Just do your thing. Don’t let the glamoured asshole distract you from your purpose. _ But something had changed about him. Mad Dog didn’t wear a scowl anymore. He seemed simultaneously more arrogant and kinder. Kagome thought she liked the hostile Mad Dog better - he was easier to read.

“So. You stand places and drink.” Mad Dog observed her.

Kagome was about to retort, but Shiori called up “Ready Kagome?”

“Gimme a sec,” Kagome was not ready yet. Not with the glamoured asshole staring at her. She advanced on him.

“Listen up. We’re currently setting the sound mood for your band. This?” Kagome pointed at the glass in her hand, “...is the signature drink we put together for Inuyasha. We have one for each member of Demonic Aura. My bartender is a wizard, so drinking this makes you feel the music - specifically Inuyasha’s music. I listen, and I focus on the mood. Shiori makes sure that the acoustics are just right, and I tell her what I feel.”

“Lemme taste this Inuyasha,” Mad Dog had grabbed the drink out of her hand before she could object, and took a sip.

“He-HEY.” Kagome scrambled for the drink. She could feel the Kagome volcano filling up again.

Before she finished her lunge, she stopped dead. Even through the glamour, she could see a strange look come over Mad Dog’s face when he drank it. As if the drink spoke to him. It was haunted and reverent.

“Holy shit.” Mad Dog blankly handed the glass back to Kagome, “What the fuck is in this?”

Kagome couldn’t help but smile - it always felt great to see Jinenji’s genius recognized.

“Told you my bartender is a wizard. He just  _ knows _ how to make the drink match the music. So… does that drink make you feel Inuyasha’s ballads?” Kagome felt smug. And it was only going to get better.

“Y-Yeah….” Mad Dog seemed lost for words. Kagome smirked.

“Take another sip. And close your eyes,” Kagome handed the drink to Mad Dog, “Shiori - we’re ready!”

As Kagome took the drink back, one of Inuyasha’s famous power ballads reverberated through the balcony. Kagome took another swig and closed her eyes. She felt the music consume her soul. Her chest felt tight but pleasing, like the music was milking feelings from her. She pictured herself as the person who just wanted to be bathed in the music. Suddenly an image of a tender kiss to her forehead, a touch to her cheeks, and a whisper invaded her mind. She wanted to see what was underneath his disguise - both the glamour and the scowl.  _ Shit. I’m distracted. Refocus Kagome. _

The music abruptly stopped, and Kagome reopened her eyes.

“How was it?” Shiori sounded surprisingly unsure.

“Uh.” Kagome tried to find the right words to describe the mood evoked in that place before her distraction, but they weren’t there. She wondered if that had been the point. Speechlessness.

“Whatever the fuck you were going for, you hit the bullseye bat,” Mad Dog spoke, his voice surprisingly laden.

“Kagome! Let’s check Inuyasha across the rest of this place.” Shiori’s voice squeaked. Kagome got the feeling that Shiori was about to show off for Mad Dog.

“Fine… though at this rate, we’ll need to call Jinenji in to make up another Inuyasha,” Kagome grumbled.

“Don’t need it,” Mad Dog said simply, then blushing, added, “I’m around those guys enough I don’t need to drink shit to feel their music.”

“More for me then.” Kagome replied, taking another sip of the drink in her hand.

A couple more power ballads that made Kagome  _ feel _ things, sometimes intensely enough she would stare up at the stage at the imaginary Inuyasha. Sometimes off into the distance. Sometimes she would let her body move to the beats. Mad Dog seemed content to simply observe as they worked, only commenting when Shiori directed questions to him. Within an hour, Kagome was satisfied that they indeed had pinned down the mood.

“Amazing work Shiori! New equipment to calibrate and you stuck the landing,” Kagome called up, “Have a good rest of the night and see you tomorrow!”

Shiori nodded at her, then left a lingering look on Mad Dog, who froze.

“See you tomorrow boss… Mad Dog…” Shiori smiled, packed up the booth, and headed out.

“Told you we’re not like other places,” Kagome grinned.

“Yeah, I’m getting that…” Mad Dog replied, “Probably shoulda read the editorial before I went off on you last time…”

“Did Rin put you up to this?” Kagome asked.

“Nah. This was all me.” Mad Dog replied, “Glad I came. Your sound tech lives up to your word.”

“No shit she does,” Kagome answered back, louder than intended.

“Keh. Well… see you at sound check tomorrow.” Mad Dog turned toward the door and waved a lazy hand at her.

“See you…”  
Kagome simply watched as Mad Dog retreated. In spite of herself, she was also looking forward to tomorrow, for more reasons than just the sound check.


	5. Sound Check

_ Pull out all the stops! We can’t wait!  _ 😍🤘🎶❤️   
Rin’s text message sat on Kagome’s phone. She couldn’t wait either. Each and every one of her employees claimed to have urgent matters that required their presence at the Shrine ( _ like they were fooling anyone) _ that day, so Kagome put them to work. She’d asked Jinenji to work his magic at the bar, looking to impress the band with their signature drinks. Souta stole glances at the door waiting for the band, but was keeping an eye on some strange Demonic Aura tags on social media. Sango was in the booth, accompanied by Shippo, her fox demon assistant and lighting tech. Miroku didn’t actually need to be at work, but he was not going to miss a chance to meet the band. Shiori sat behind her sound booth, tapping her foot.

“We got this guys - we’ve sound checked a hundred bands together. This one is just another band,” Kagome wasn’t sure if her pep talk was for herself or for them, “But… I’m excited too.”

“They’re here.” Shiori called down to Kagome, who did her best not to fidget. This was a completely routine sound check. It was fine. Everything was fine.

Rin was the first through the door, practically bouncing. Next was the tall regal figure that had to be Sesshomaru. He was dressed in stylish light gray pants, and a black t-shirt. His hair was down and swayed behind him. Kagome could not help but smile at how it glowed. Shiori’s hair did the same thing. When she met Sesshomaru’s eyes, she made a slight but distinct incline of her head. Meant to project respect, but not overly draw attention. He nodded his head back to her. Kagura and Koga were next in. Kagura wore one of the elaborate designer kimonos that was her signature style. It was bright, full of yellows and oranges that made the fire in her red eyes glow even brighter. Kagome saw the ruby jeweled feather that held her hair up, complementing both the kimono and her own glow perfectly. When Kagura met her eyes, Kagome smiled brightly, making sure she projected admiration of the frontwoman’s style. Kagura smiled back. Koga was in loose-fitting jeans and a black leather vest. His hair was up in a high ponytail. When his eyes met Kagome’s, he winked. She couldn’t help but giggle -  _ no wonder Koga is known to be a masterful flirt _ .

The last band member through the door (and the one that Kagome was looking the most forward to meeting) was Inuyasha. He wore his signature black leather pants, and a tight-fitting red t-shirt. Kagome tried not to gawk - Inuyasha was more attractive in person than in any photo she had seen of him. His hair was loose, like his brother’s, with that same unearthly glow. Kagome chanced a glance at the top of his head, and saw his famous ears.  _ I want to touch ‘em, _ she thought, before feeling a slight blush come across her face and quickly shifting her eyes downward. Unfortunately that was worse, as she was met with his penetrating golden eyes. How could they look so familiar? When he smirked, Kagome could swear she’d seen it before… somewhere...

“Kagome!” Rin’s hug had broken her Inuyasha-induced trance, “This place looks amazing. We want the tour.”

Before Kagome could answer, Rin had turned around, “Jaken! The Shrine’s lead tech will meet you out back to get you guys loaded in.”

Kagome saw it was directed at a small toad-like demon. Sango was out of the booth and to the loading dock before Kagome needed to call for her.

“Please follow me,” Sango beckoned to the demon, but followed that with a bow. Jaken muttered something to himself, but Kagome did not miss the small smile. It saddened Kagome. She remembered talking to her crew about how to project respect while working with demons, and found far more often than she would have liked that the demons working for the bands she booked looked genuinely surprised at being treated respectfully.

“Now… give us the tour while the crew sets us up,” Rin exclaimed, allowing Kagome to escape, “Mad Dog told us you have signature drinks for us all?”

“That I do,” Kagome replied, realizing that the cranky roadie was indeed missing from the procession of Demonic Aura folks, “Wait… where is Mad Dog?”

“Ohhh, he’s got other things on his plate today,” Rin said a bit too quickly, and Kagome could swear she heard Shiori let out a small laugh.

“Alright…” Kagome replied.

Something didn’t sit right with that explanation. The man was a smothering presence upon her venue, all for the sake of making sure his precious band got everything they deserved. Kagome… almost… missed him. And yet, somehow, she didn’t feel the absence of his presence either. As if he was there, even though he wasn’t. Kagome shrugged it off. The cantankerous roadie was the least of her worries today.

The band followed Rin and Kagome to her bar. She could see Jinenji trembling. It had taken some arguing to get him to keep his glamour off, but he’d given in, trusting in her to keep him safe. Four neat little rows with five perfectly decorated drinks a piece sat before him. As they approached though, he shrunk away. Kagome felt her protectiveness flare for her gentle bartender.

“This is my genius head bartender Jinenji,” Kagome turned to the band, instinctively placing herself between them and Jinenji, “He creates drinks that represent each member of the bands that play here. These are for you.”

“Your bartender is half-demon?” the question was from Koga, and seemed genuinely curious, though Kagome shot him a warning look all the same.

“The fuck is the problem with that?” a gruff voice in the back shot back, and Kagome saw Inuyasha shoot Koga exactly the same warning look she just had, “Use your nose wolf, and tell me that shit don’t smell good.”

“Could you please stop talking about Jinenji and start talking  _ to _ Jinenji?” Kagome barked at them. She nearly blanched, why had Inuyasha’s gruff tone drawn her ire so… familiarly?

“Sorry pretty lady,” Koga grinned ( _ was that Inuyasha growling?) _ , “Couldn’t help myself. It’s one thing to read about a place giving a shit about humans and demons in harmony, and completely another to see someone actually do it.”

“Oi! She ain’t interested wolf. And let’s stop wastin’ time and start drinkin’,” Inuyasha growled.

“You sure we should be drinking before sound check?” Kagura piped up, “I’m not inclined to fry my vocal cords.”

“Oh… uh…” Jinenji turned his back to the band and grabbed various herbs and bottles, throwing them together at demon speeds, then handed Kagura an amber drink, “Good for the vocal cords. Drink it after… if you’d like”

Kagura just looked at him, “Th-thanks...”

“Go ahead Jinenji, tell them about the drinks,” Kagome gave him a glowing smile, and was happy to see his smile glow in response.

It had taken a single sip of the Kagura for the band to stop bickering and reservations to fall away. Jinenji’s confidence grew with every word he spoke, especially with their responses. Kagura asked Jinenji for his recipe for the Kagura. Sesshomaru allowed himself one small smirk when he felt the ice of the Sesshomaru overtake his throat. Koga offered to take Jinenji out drinking when he’d downed the Koga. And Inuyasha simply nodded when he’d drunk the Inuyasha, saying nothing more than “keep doin’ what you’re doin’” as feedback. Jinenji glowed from the admiration, speechless after the last drink was downed.

When Kagura drank Jinenji’s improved vocal cord concoction, he leaned forward, waiting for her assessment.

“Damn Jinenji, think you can make me one of these before every concert?” she grinned.

“Of c-c-course!” Jinenji beamed back at her.

With confirmation from Jaken and Sango, the sound check was ready to proceed. The band got onto the stage, and Kagome nodded up to Shiori.

“Shiori is handling your sound check - trust her. She’s the best in the business,” Kagome looked carefully at Inuyasha as she said it, and was surprised to watch him simply nod.

As the sound check got started, Rin settled in beside Kagome. Unlike the demons, who had substantial alcohol tolerance, Rin was not so lucky. Kagome couldn’t help but smile at her, because it seemed tipsy Rin was even sunnier than normal Rin. Kagome also couldn’t help but notice that Sesshomaru kept a close eye on their joyful manager.

“You’ve done such an incredible job with this place. I just  _ knew _ I had to bring them here,” Rin whispered, “I think this place might even be one-of-a-kind.”

Kagome nodded, though she wished that wasn’t true - the world needed as many places as possible for humans and demons to coexist, “We do our best.”

“Even Sessh gave me a little trouble when he saw the contract I drew up for you,” Rin leaned into Kagome’s shoulder, “But I knew we had to play here. Sorry about Mad Dog. He… gets it now too.”

“Why  _ did _ you give me such a great deal?” Kagome couldn’t help but ask.

“Because,” Rin sighed, “There are more important things than money.”

Kagome paused, then realized that Koga and Shiori were arguing.

“I’ve calibrated it just fine,” Shiori’s voice carried her irritation, “You are unpredictable when you get yourself going - I’ve done my best to adjust to your average acoustic, and will modify real time when you’re actually playing…”

“Un-PREDICTABLE? How the hell could you say that?” Koga glared daggers at the sound tech.

“Might want to stop while you’re ahead wolf,” Inuyasha was…  _ laughing _ , “That bat’s ears don’t miss shit.”

“No one has ever called me unpredictable before,” Koga growled, then turned his eyes back to Shiori, then with a wink added, “At least not on the drums…”

“Not to your face,” Shiori grinned back down.

Everyone in the Shrine erupted in laughter. Even Sesshomaru allowed himself a smile. Koga looked stunned, then joined in.

“I can’t tell if I want to yell at you, hire you or take you out to dinner,” Koga called up, “But you better make sure I sound like the god I am.”

“She will,” Kagome shouted back.

“I like challenges,” Shiori added, which brought the room to a second round of laughs.

Even in this dress rehearsal, Demonic Aura sounded immaculate. Kagome found herself simply closing her eyes and listening. She could hear Shippo in the rafters with Sango, adjusting the lighting. She grinned when she saw them test the “moonlight” gels, and couldn’t help but stare at Inuyasha. He looked amazing, and watching him actually play in person did nothing good for her… admiration. She wondered if she could convince him to take a picture with her -  _ maybe after their Sunday concert _ . Seemed rude to demand such a thing before their business was completed.

Once all was done, Jinenji ambled over to the band, four drinks in hand.

“For energy and hydration,” he mumbled, handing them each a glass.

“Did you make these specially for each of us?” Sesshomaru asked, “They all smell different.”

“Y-Yeah… thought you could each use different sorts of boosts…” Jinenji blushed.

“Can we keep him?” Kagura snorted.

“You’d have to fight me first,” Kagome retorted, “And I fight dirty…”

With one final laugh of the day, Demonic Aura took their leave. Rin gave Kagome one more immense hug, then trotted up to Sesshomaru’s side. But Kagome’s eyes could not seem to escape from the swinging silver hair and dog ears of Inuyasha as he left, waving a lazy hand her way as the door closed behind him.  _ Why did that look so familiar? _

Kagome congratulated her people, waving them off to head home. She then did one quick tour of the Shrine, lingering on the soundstage. She breathed in the faint smell of sweat that came from it, and pictured how amazing it would all look when the Shrine was full of fans and the band went all-out.

“Don’t go sabotaging my band’s equipment,” a barking voice called from the door.

“Wh-what?” Kagome started, wide eyes finding the glamoured roadie leaning against the door, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Rin told me things went well today, just checking in that you weren’t fucking anything up,” Mad Dog called back. Kagome thought that sounded like a thin excuse.

“Where exactly were you today?” Kagome asked.

“Had band shit to do…” Mad Dog replied, “I can’t be in two places at once.”

Kagome rolled her eyes, “Doesn’t answer my question.”

“Good thing I don’t owe you an answer,” Mad Dog growled back.

“Fine. Don’t worry - I’m not doing anything to their equipment. I just…” Kagome paused, why had she gone up onto the stage anyway? She didn’t do that for the other bands. But… she would be deluding herself if she didn’t think Demonic Aura was special.

“...I just… couldn’t help myself,” Kagome sighed, “I’ve been a fan of theirs for years. I just… wanted a little while to be just a fan and feel like the luckiest person alive. Demonic Aura is performing in my little venue. I just…”

“I get it,” Mad Dog had climbed up to her on the stage, coming closer and closer to Kagome, “We all deserve little moments where we get to just… feel things.”

Kagome smiled at him. It seemed he understood exactly what she was feeling. She could nearly hear the echo of Inuyasha’s ballad in her head as the two simply looked at each other.

“Anyway,” Mad Dog coughed, “Seems you’re not plannin’ to kill my band, so I need to head out.”

Kagome simply nodded, “I hope whatever kept you from the sound check today won’t keep you from the concert.”

Mad Dog froze, then looked back at Kagome, pondering something beyond Kagome’s notice.

“Guess we’ll see…” was all he said as he turned around and waved a lazy hand in her direction, before heading out the door.


	6. Protests and the Price You Pay

“Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. Fuck. FUCK. FUCK.” it was the only word Kagome appeared capable of uttering. She was doing everything she could to keep both the temper and the panic down, as Souta and Miroku faced her.

“Well, at least now know what Naraku has been up to…” Miroku offered, only to shrink away at the look Kagome gave him, “And we have enough time to get ahead of it.”

“He’s fucking drumming up violence against them,” Kagome growled, “He put a target on their back.”

“Most of the retweets are from bots,” Souta countered, “I don’t think there are more than a few hundred actual people.”

“How many people do you think that translates to?” Kagome looked desperately at Miroku, “How many armed and dangerous pissed off separationists are going to be ‘protesting’ the concert?”

“Maybe only dozens,” Miroku shrugged.

Even one was too many. One endangered the Shrine. One endangered the band.

“Get on the phone. We’re hiring extra security,” Kagome looked at him.

“But… that could wipe out your entire profit marg--” Miroku started.

“I don’t CARE. NO ONE threatens my people, and NO ONE threatens my bands and puts them in danger.” Kagome growled, “When you get them on the phone, put Kikyo through directly to me.”

Miroku simply nodded, then turned heel back to his office.

“Sis, I’ve already started rallying our own troops. By the time the concert happens, everything will be okay,” Souta touched Kagome’s shoulder, “It would be really helpful if I could get Demonic Aura’s social media team--”

“NO. I’m not going to make them get involved with fucking Naraku. We can deal with this in-house.” Kagome countered. Everything would be fine. She had savings, she could weather this just fine. Sure, extra security would cost a lot, but it would be worth it. Wasn’t it Rin who said there were some things that were more important than money? This was one of them. 

As Kagome’s phone lit up, she waved Souta out of her office. She picked up the phone.

“You really need to stop calling me like this,” a dry but kind voice said on the other end of the line, “What do you need Kagome?”

“We’re getting astroturfed Kikyo. Separationists.” Kagome replied, “I think I need your best - spiritualists that can keep their cool with furious demons and demons who can keep their cool with furious humans.”

“Demonic Aura is a huge deal,” Kikyo replied, “...Naraku?”

“The one and only.” Kagome sighed, “I know it’s short-notice, but Souta only saw it yesterday. He was trying to organize this shit under my nose, so we’d be stuck with angry separationist bastards threatening our patrons and the band.”

“Sneaky bastard.” Kikyo’s scowl was apparent through the phone, “But I’ve got you. Do you want anyone with the band? Or just crowd control?”

“Right now - mostly crowd control.” Kagome said, “But making sure none of the crazies go after the band sounds good too.”

“That ain’t gonna be cheap,” Kikyo replied.

“Yeah yeah… Whatever it is, I'll pay it,” Kagome turned earnest, “You are the only group I trust… Demons guarding demon-hating humans and humans guarding human-hating demons is a recipe for disaster.”

“Send me back over to Miroku to work out the details,” Kikyo said, “And you’ll want to give a heads up to the band’s people. Demonic Aura probably deals with this sort of thing all the time, so let’s not get my guys’ asses fried as collateral damage.”

“Will do,” Kagome replied, “And thanks…”

“Thank me after you’ve seen my bill,” Kikyo laughed. With that, Kagome transferred the call back to Miroku.

Kagome sighed. She had hoped that she could deal with the protestors alone, but if Kikyo told her to inform the band, she knew she didn’t have a choice. Kikyo had been a patron of the Shrine for years, and her security group came recommended to Kagome by humans and demons alike. Kikyo’s people were indistinguishable from the crowds, and were able to sense conflict and violence before it ever got out of control. Kikyo was the best in the business at her job, and charged prices consistent with that (though Kagome’s bills were never as big as she expected them to be).

“Souta?” Kagome called back to her brother, defeated, “I’m calling Demonic Aura.”

“Good call sis,” Souta said, strangely thoughtful, “Have them reach out to me. I’ve already got six plans and three backup plans.”

Kagome shook her head at him.  _ I am so lucky to have you Souta _ . If it weren’t for him, furious separationist protestors would have caught her unawares. But not only did he sniff them out, he found the strings of the spider’s web.  _ Maybe after this stunt, I can finally bury Naraku. _

But that was a hope for another day - a day where she hadn’t failed to protect the biggest band her little venue could ever hope of booking.

Kagome grabbed her phone, pressed Rin’s name, then waited for the inevitable. Not even a half hour later, a furious roadie stormed into the Shrine.

“What the FUCK Kagome?” Mad Dog’s scowl had returned full force, “Extra security? Armed protestors?”

The Kagome volcano was dormant. She couldn’t bring herself to fight back. Mad Dog was right, all this harping about safety first, and she’d utterly failed.

“It’s alright, I’m covering the extra security,” Kagome didn’t look him in the face, choosing a particularly grungy spot on her office floor.

“Like hell you are,” Mad Dog continued his rant, “Why the fuck did you not tell us there is some creepy ass weirdo gunnin’ for you?”

“He’s never done anything like… this before.” Kagome slumped further into her chair, “I’m sorry. But I can assure you that we have everything under control…” even Kagome thought the words sounded wooden.

Mad Dog sighed, out of steam after finding his foe unwilling to fight back.

“Well, do me the fucking favor of telling me about him now.” Mad Dog sat down, then tried to get into Kagome’s line of sight.

“He’s pissed about me,” a small voice from the door snapped both Kagome and Mad Dog’s attention. Shiori stepped into Kagome’s office.

“He owns those degradation cafés around the city,” Shiori gently slid Kagome’s door closed behind her, “I was stuck working for him. He was one of the few people who employed half-demons, as long as we were willing to… nevermind. It was probably worse than being out on the street, but I was stuck. So… when Kagome hired me here, he sort of went crazy. I.. don’t like to talk about it much.”

Kagome looked up at Shiori, and could see little beads of tears at the corner of her eyes. Mad Dog was staring up at her as well.

“Before now, he filed frivolous lawsuits, fake noise and alcohol complaints, requests for inspections… that sort of thing. He stopped the stalking when we got restraining orders against him, so we thought the inspections were the worst he could do,” Kagome continued, in part to help Shiori escape from the terrible memories, “We’ve never had much trouble countering him before. So the protests sort of… took us by surprise.”

Mad Dog didn’t say anything, just kept staring at Kagome.

“Anyway. Please don’t punish Kagome for Naraku. If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine,” Shiori said the words in barely a whisper.

“Shiori…” Kagome then felt the tears in her own eyes. Had Shiori been holding onto that for the whole time they worked together?

“I… I am gonna get back to my booth.” Shiori turned and walked out of Kagome’s office without another word.

“You fucking idiot,” Mad Dog turned his glare at Kagome, “Demonic Aura deals with these sorts of dipshits everywhere we go. How do you think the separationists feel about a fucking half-demon in a famous rock band?”

“Well… they were drummed up because of Naraku, so this is my responsibility,” Kagome broke eye contact.

“Like hell they are,” Mad Dog reached his hand out, and gently guided Kagome’s chin to look at him, “Our people talked to Kikyo already, and we are going to be covering security costs.”

“What? But… your contract barely covers costs as is--” Kagome stuttered, feeling ashamed.

“And I was an asshole for storming into your place and shitting all over it,” Mad Dog did not break eye contact. His glamour was starting to make Kagome dizzy, but she could not look away.

“Let me at least amend the contract so we pay you a base fee that covers your costs,” Kagome pleaded.

“Christ. The contract is perfect and doesn’t need to be changed.” Mad Dog had the audacity to smirk at her.

“Why are you doing all this?” Kagome gaped.

“Because… some things are more important than money,” Mad Dog leaned closer in, and Kagome wondered if she was seeing something, or if there were gold flecks in Mad Dog’s violet eyes.


	7. Setting the Stage

“You ready?” Kagome held out her hand to grab Shiori’s.

“I believe so,” Shiori grabbed Kagome’s hand tightly, then looked at her hand, “You’re wearing the ring again.”

Kagome nodded. Neither talked about why Kagome was picking up Shiori from her apartment and walking her to the Shrine. And neither of them talked about why Kagome was wearing the chunky ring on her fingers - the one that could inflict a lot of damage if Kagome had needed to punch someone out.

“You got Kikyo’s number on speed dial?” Kagome asked.  
“Yes.”  
“And the coast is clear?” Kagome squeezed Shiori’s hand, both could feel each other’s tension.  
“Appears to be,” Shiori replied.

In the early days of Naraku, Kagome and Shiori walked to work together a lot. Kagome provided the reassuring aura to her half-demon colleague (and friend), and Shiori kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. But Naraku had always been careful to stay just out of Shiori’s ability to sense him. Just close enough that neither felt safe, but just far enough away to deny being in the area more than just “randomly”. The microterrorism had grated on Kagome’s nerves, but that was offset by the look on Shiori’s face all of those mornings. It was more than gratitude - it was disbelief. Shiori’s naked surprise that Kagome cared for her was all it took for Kagome to push away her own fear of Naraku. Shiori’s companionship was worth Naraku’s harassment.

Thankfully, he slipped up once. He had been caught on security cameras attempting to break into the Shrine, and that was all Kagome had needed to nail him with a restraining order. The slimy bastard had slithered back into the darkness - choosing to save his own skin instead of terrorizing them further. They’d had months of reprieve from the stalking, so seeing each other that morning, waiting and listening for Naraku to attack them felt out of place. Their venue was hosting the most important gig of its life, and they were walking hand in hand, reliving their past instead of dreaming about their future.

“I… caused all this,” Shiori’s words were barely audible, “If I didn’t…”

“If you didn’t come work for me,” Kagome whispered back, “I wouldn’t have the world’s best sound tech… I wouldn’t have such an amazing  _ friend _ . I wouldn’t have gotten to see Koga and Mad Dog put in their place... The Shrine is what it is because you’re there. And the only person who is at fault for harassing us is  _ Naraku _ .”

Kagome saw Shiori’s tears - the half-demon was so careful about letting anyone see her weakness, so she was eternally grateful that her friend felt safe enough around her to let them flow.

“Naraku would’ve come for me eventually,” Kagome continued, “The Shrine is everything he hates. Naraku loves to pit humans and demons against each other - loves to exploit the hate. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than knowing that I can make that bastard miserable just by doing what I love - bringing us all together. Getting you as a friend was just the world's best bonus!”

Shiori looked at her in surprise, then blushing, looked away and scanned their surroundings one more time. She looked at Kagome again, a smile replacing the tears. Then the smile turned into a grin.

“Kagome…” Shiori looked positively fiendish, “There’s something I should tell you about Mad Dog...”

Of all the things Kagome pictured Shiori saying, “Mad Dog is Inuyasha” was not one of them. It was not even in the same reality as the things she pictured. Kagome simply stuttered as Shiori laughed. And yet… it made sense. The glamour was not out of shame of what he looked like, but simply so he could go about his business without his fame following him. It was why Kagome did not feel like someone was missing at sound check. It was why he’d looked so lost when he’d drunk the Inuyasha. It’s why her subconscious kept poking her when she watched Inuyasha’s mannerisms. It’s why she knew she wasn’t seeing things when golden flecks appeared behind Mad Dog’s glamoured eyes.

“H-How…?” Kagome stuttered, relieved she could use words again.  
“Because I’m a bat,” Shiori said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
“But… but why?”  
“Dunno. Didn’t ask.” Shiori shrugged.

Everything was infinitely more confusing, and … infinitely more interesting. Kagome thought she’d feel embarrassed thinking about losing her temper at  _ Inuyasha _ , but something about it eased her mind. As if he’d given her this great gift - he’d seen her as herself without her deference to his fame getting in the way. He knew the grumpy, overly protective hot-headed mama bear who would do anything for her people. And now, she knew he was the same. He cared as much about the safety and wellbeing of Demonic Aura as she did about the Shrine.

“Shiori… don’t tell Inuyasha you told me,” Kagome whispered, finally turning the corner and seeing their destination.

“What are friends for?” the way Shiori said it was laden, and Kagome nearly pulled her in for a hug.

But, revenge on the glamoured roadie and guitarist could wait. The street was still empty, but everyone had a lot to do before tonight. It was Demonic Aura’s first night at the Shrine, and everything needed to be ready. When Kagome and Shiori walked in, they were not surprised to see Kikyo and Rin waiting for them, as well as Miroku and Souta.

“Stuff is still quiet,” Shiori said just before releasing Kagome’s hand and heading up to her booth.

“I hoped never to see that ring again,” Miroku sighed, looking at Kagome’s hand.

“Okay all, let’s go over the plan,” Kagome shrugged off Miroku’s comments. They both knew why she was wearing that ring.

“City Newspaper is covering the campaign and counter-campaign now, and my people have said the word ‘astroturf’ until they were blue in the face. Inuyasha even gave them a quote.” Rin spoke, all business, “Between your following and Demonic Aura’s, I’m almost worried the counter-protest is going to be too big.”

“Let me worry about that,” Kikyo interjected.

“I made a call to my friend in city hall, who is going to … set up the barricades for the protestors. Demon separationists on the southside, our folks in the middle, and human separationists on the northside. Our folks will be closest to the Shrine.” Miroku added.

“One more thing. My demons already know Naraku’s scent, so we are keeping watch for that too,” Kikyo added in before heading toward the door, “Keep up the ‘come together ra ra ra’ stuff. The happier your people’s vibe is, the less likely my folks will get caught up in something nasty.”

“Kikyo?” Rin called after Kikyo as she left, “Any chance you have something with Naraku’s scent? I’d like my people to memorize it as well.”

“Kagome has something of his in a scent-locked box.” Kikyo called back, “I gotta go. Rin - I sent you pictures of the demon and spiritualist lookin’ after your folks.”

With that, Kikyo swept out the door. Kagome realized Rin was serious about getting Naraku’s scent, so she unlocked her safe, then handed the girl the sealed box that was inside.

“This was Shiori’s last paycheck from him. He insisted on handing it directly to her, so it has his scent on it.” Kagome mumbled, “Please be careful with it.”

Rin simply nodded, placing the box carefully out of sight in her bag. The meeting that followed was blessedly short. Souta and Miroku were rallying the troops, with the help of a Demonic Aura social media person staying around to coordinate with them.

When everyone left her office, Kagome gave herself a minute to breathe - to panic - to worry. She felt the tears squeeze out of the corner of her eye. That night, Demonic Aura would be playing at the Shrine. There would be protestors and supporters, and the spectre of Naraku hung over all of it. She wasn’t ready, but she knew that she had to be. Quietly, she put her headphones in and turned on one of Inuyasha’s power ballads, asking the silver-haired rock god to give her strength. When she closed her eyes, she imagined the feel of soft hands on her cheeks, and a gentle kiss pressed to her forehead.


	8. Showtime

“Ready?” Kagome called from the stage.  
"Ready!” Shippou squeaked.  
“Ready!” Sango called.  
“Ready!” Jinenji squealed.  
“Ready.” Shiori confirmed.  
“Ready!” Miroku and Souta yelled from the back office.  


“Rin just texted that they are on their way.” Kagome called out.

_ Ready? _ Kagome quickly texted Kikyo.  
_ Lookin’ good out here. Seriously Kagome, you need to see this. _ Kikyo replied back.

Kagome looked at her phone, and opened the photo Kikyo had sent her. It was nothing short of miraculous. Folks lucky enough to score tickets were standing in line to get in, but the crowd outside the ropes were just as joyous. Only about a dozen human separationists had actually shown up, and if any demon separationists had thought to, they’d quickly turned tail and gone home. Instead, there were a couple  _ hundred _ counter-protestors, holding up signs like “Demons and Humans ❤️ the Shrine!”, “Let Love be Love!”, “Demonic Aura brings us TOGETHER”, “Separate is NOT Equal - Bring Down the Separation!” Demons and humans were singing Demonic Aura songs, and whooping at the people waiting in line.

Despite having incredible sound control inside the Shrine, a loud roar hit her ears.

“Shiori?” Kagome called up, wondering what had just happened.

“I think they’re cheering.” Shiori smiled.

“WAIT, I told Rin how to get in the back entrance…” Kagome spit out.

“I think Demonic Aura decided they wanted to walk in the front door…” Shiori giggled.

_ I really hope you knew this was coming…. _ Kagome texted Kikyo quickly.  
_ Yup. I gave Rin the all-clear about 10mins ago. _ Kikyo replied.

Kagome didn’t know what was happening in front of the Shrine, and couldn’t easily open the door. Opening would send the place into a frenzy of trying to get in. So instead Kagome just listened. She heard someone - Koga? - talking to the gathered people, and heard more cheers and whoops coming from outside. Whatever they were doing, they were rallying people. Kagome could feel a tear falling down her cheek. Demonic Aura shared her dreams. The people outside shared her dreams - of a world where humans and demons coexisted in harmony.

_ Just FYI - I think I just got one of my easiest paychecks, _ Kikyo texted, then sent Kagome a picture of some very dejected separationists ambling away from the gathered masses.

Naraku had lost. The world Kagome dreamed of was the world that was winning. With one final cacophonous cheer, Demonic Aura rushed through her front door. It was time. Kagome tried to wipe away the tears before they noticed, and walked to greet them.

“That was so much fun!” Rin bounded to Kagome, smothering her in yet another hug, “Seriously, that was something special.”

“Thanks to you and your amazing social media campaign!” Kagome replied, “We could not have done it without you.”

“Oh hush. Give your brother some more credit!” Rin retorted, “Honestly, if I wasn’t terrified of your wrath I would try to hire every single person who works for you!”

Kagome laughed. It felt good. It was a laugh that lifted her anxiety. A laugh that came from besting her nemesis. A laugh that came from seeing her vision of the world she wanted reflected back at her, not only from the band, but from each and every person carrying signs outside.

“Thank you.” Kagome said in a small voice, which only made Rin’s hug tighter.

“Ay Jinenji - you got my drink ready?” Kagura smirked as she walked over to the bouncy bartender.

“Vocal cords for you m’lady!” Jinenji slung the drink into her hand.

“Gimme a Koga.” Koga followed after Kagura, “Get me all loose to make the bat’s life more fun.”

Koga winked up at Shiori, who scoffed.

“Oi! Don’t leave us out!” the gruff voice brought a pink hue to Kagome’s face.

“I will strangle you myself if you miss your cue.” Sesshomaru scowled at his brother.

“Lighten up  _ bro _ , I only miss my cue to piss you off and I don’t pull that shit when it matters,” Inuyasha barked back, “Ay Jinenji, sling me an Inuyasha and give sir stick-up-his-ass a Sesshomaru.”

Kagome probably laughed a little harder than she needed to at that, leading those mesmerizing golden eyes to stare at her.  _ Shit. _

“Sorry - first time I’ve heard you two bicker,” Kagome mumbled, which made Rin start laughing.

“They were on good behavior for sound check,” Rin replied, “They play better if they’ve pissed each other off a little bit… so this is sort of their… warm up routine.”

“More like you got him whipped,” Inuyasha barked back at Rin, and Kagome did not miss Sesshomaru stiffen. Kagura and Koga had leaned back against the bar, obviously enjoying the show.

“Don’t get so  _ mad, dog _ ,” Rin shot back, which shut Inuyasha up immediately, and elicited a little snicker from Sesshomaru, and full-out laughter from Kagura and Koga. Kagome played dumb, which was really hard.

“Alright everyone, drink your drinks and get yourselves warmed up! They’re going to be letting people in in a half hour, so you don’t have much time.” Rin’s voice became so commanding Kagome did a double-take,  _ no wonder she was their manager _ .

Kagome knew she would be running around the moment the door opened, so she decided she got to savor the next half hour. She asked Jinenji for an Inuyasha, and simply stayed at the bar and listened. She stared openly at the half-demon guitarist, watching him move fluidly with his instrument, his hair swaying behind him, and sipped. When he was doing something particularly difficult, his fang hung out of his mouth - it made Kagome smile. Something about his ballads had changed for her, seeing the support the Shrine had outside. It was less sad and longing, it had morphed almost into… hope. Then the warm up was over, and Kagome had to go back to work.

_ We’re opening doors. Things still good outside? Any nasty odors? _ Kagome texted Kikyo.  
_ All good. Demons don’t report a stink… _ Kikyo replied.  
_ Thank. you. Tickets to Sunday’s show on me. _ Kagome smiled and hit send.  
_ No can do. Rin beat you to the punch. _ Kikyo texted, causing Kagome to laugh.

It was showtime.

As the crowds shuffled in, Kagome knew that they were ready. She looked down at the stage, up at the rafters, back at the bar, and up at the sound booth. This was her place. These were her people. And this concert represented her dream. She looked down at her phone, she was ready for anything.

As if the divine were smiling upon her, crises did not manifest. The duties she had were short and straightforward, so she got to enjoy far more of the concert than she was expecting. To say Demonic Aura were gods on stage was an understatement. They sounded perfect, and every note pulled an emotion out of her. The crowds danced and sang and celebrated the band, and the band fed off their energy. Kagura’s voice carried Kagome to new planes of existence. Sesshomaru defied physics with the sounds his bass made even as he barely touched it. Koga’s drumming was masterful, even if Kagome caught him looking up and winking at the sound booth just before particularly frenetic drum solos. And then there was Inuyasha. Kagome thought he was playing just for her, because when he touched his guitar, he was strumming at the strings of her soul. She felt the sadness of her parent’s death, the pride at watching her crew make this day (and every day at the Shrine) happen, and the delirious hope carried by her and the people around her. His music surrounded the human and demon patrons who sang together, danced together, drank together, and laughed together in her small slice of utopia.

As Demonic Aura played their encore, Kagome touched her cheek and could feel the tears that their music had milked from her. When it was all over and the crowds had dispersed, she looked down and saw Rin. The look they exchanged said everything they needed to say.

“See you tomorrow,” Kagome called, voice a little shaky.  
“See you tomorrow,” Rin called back up.

After the crew had cleaned and prepped the venue for the next day, Kagome was exhausted. Shiori had waited for her, and the two walked home in warm silence. Other bands and other shows had left them feeling great, but Demonic Aura left them feeling more.

“See you tomorrow,” Kagome gave Shiori a hug as the half-demon stepped into her apartment, “You were perfect today, like you are every day.”

“I do not think I will ever be able to thank you enough for the life you’ve given me,” Shiori pulled Kagome in closer, “Thank you for being my friend.”

When Kagome looked back at her sound tech, both their eyes were watery. If only Shiori understood how lucky  _ Kagome _ was to have her too. With one quick pat on the shoulder, Kagome waved goodbye and headed the rest of the way home. She hummed her favorite of Inuyasha’s solos as she walked. The cool of the night felt great on her skin. She was looking so forward to the next few days, getting to bathe in the glory of the band, and the joy shared by demons and humans alike. 

It was perhaps this distraction that caused Kagome to ignore the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. Or miss the shadow that seemed to linger when she turned down her street. And so it was too late when Kagome finally realized that she had a need for her chunky ring.


	9. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: abusive language and violence.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the demon’s bitch,” a slippery voice was in Kagome’s ear and a hand was on her throat before she could react, “Oh sweetie. I wouldn’t try anything.”

_ Naraku.  _ Kagome’s adrenaline surged. She gathered her bearings without saying a word. She could feel something cold and hard against her back.  _ A gun. _

“You can feel it, huh? Good. Smart little bitch knows not to scream,” his hot breath in her ear made Kagome’s skin crawl.

“What do you want Naraku,” something in Kagome’s brain had shut down. The panic had disappeared behind some strange veil, leaving her surprisingly free to think about how she would get out of this.

“Ohhhhhhhh, nothing too big,” he purred, “Just a little teensy bit of payback. I want to watch you die, and I want to watch you suffer.”

This was probably the most direct Naraku had ever been. Kagome considered his words, knowing that the only price he would accept was her life. There would be no debate, no deal making. Even if she were to offer him the Shrine, he’d still kill her. And she’d rather be dead than offer him anything, save for a black eye. What could she do? There was absolutely no way she could get to her phone to dial Kikyo without him noticing. She was going to need to distract him just enough to break free and run. Kagome jerked, making it seem involuntary and in fear, but she wanted to gauge how strong he was.  _ Too strong. Fuck. _

“Oh, if kitty wants to fight, we need to go somewhere a bit more  _ private,  _ ” Naraku continued, “Your little stunts broke me, so it’s only fair for me to break you.”

So it was true. Miroku had made noises that he thought Naraku was close to bankruptcy. Naraku’s words confirmed it.  _ Not a good time to gloat Kagome. _

“No. If you are going to shoot me, you’re going to do it right here,” Kagome spoke the words, with no emotions attached to them, “It’s not my fault that you ran your shitty businesses into the ground. I’m sure sewage attracted sewage.”

A forceful blow to the back of her head was Kagome’s answer. She fell forward, free of Naraku’s grasp. Before she could get up, she felt his boot stomp her into the ground. The shock of pain and an audible crack that came with it was probably from an impact to her ribcage.

“You fucking bitch - have it your way. We do this here. Right in front of your house. In front of your neighbors. I want them to  _ see  _ what happens when you cross Naraku,” his voice sounded crazy. Kagome was stuck below his boot. “You know what happens when I shoot you in the gut? You  _ suffer.  _ Oh, you don’t die instantly - but the pain is said to be unendurable. Wanna see, little bitch? Let’s find out.”

With all the strength that Kagome and her adrenaline could muster, she pushed up and backwards, knocking Naraku off balance. Then she ran as fast as she could. She heard him howl behind her but she did not look back. All she knew is she needed to get somewhere to call Kikyo. Where was safe? Her lungs were screaming in pain, and she knew she would not last much longer. She had not been not ready - not for this.

Suddenly a flash of silver, then a grunt and a thud caused her steps to falter, and she fell back onto the ground, skinning her elbows as her arms absorbed the impact. Kagome tried to scramble back up, but the activity behind her made her turn around and look back.

Inuyasha was on top of Naraku, looking to have him tenuously pinned, and both were fighting over possession of Naraku’s gun.

“Kagome fucking do something!” Inuyasha’s eyes broke her out of her stupor. 

Kagome gasped, then ran up to the struggling men and grabbed the gun.

“NO! NO! NO!” Naraku screamed, struggling beneath Inuyasha’s grip, though it was clear that Inuyasha now had the situation under control.

Kagome grabbed her phone and dialed Kikyo.

“Where are you?” Kikyo picked up immediately.   
“55th and Elm,” Kagome replied, “Please get here fast.”   
“3mins.” Kikyo replied, and hung up.

Adrenaline still coursing through her system, Kagome backed further away from the pair, holding the gun away from her as if it was radioactive. Naraku had not stopped ranting, calling Kagome every slur he could think of. He seemed completely unaware that he was being subdued by Inuyasha of Demonic Aura. For what seemed like an eternity, she and Inuyasha just stared at each other, waiting. They were both terrified to move, for fear that the madman hellbent on murdering Kagome had something else up his sleeve.

_ He’s here. Look for the tweed - name is Caliban. I’m 5mins out. _ _   
_ Kikyo’s text broke Kagome’s eyes away from Inuyasha.

Kagome looked up to see a glamoured man approach, wearing a tweed jacket.

“You got him?” the demon called to Inuyasha.   
“Yeah.” Inuyasha replied, not loosening his grip.

The demon nodded and pulled out his phone, probably texting Kikyo.

“That his gun?” the demon pointed to Kagome’s hand.

“Y-Yeah…” Kagome replied, then took a step backward, “Wh-what’s your name?”

“Caliban,” the demon smiled, impressed that Kagome verified his identity, “I am gonna come over to you, and I am going to take the gun.”

“Okay.” Kagome let the demon walk to her. He reached out his gloved hand, and Kagome placed the gun in it.

“You’re hurt,” the demon sniffed Kagome.

Kagome nodded. She knew that the adrenaline coursing through her system meant she was not feeling how much pain she was in at that moment, but she wasn’t going to think about that just yet.

_ I’m here. Silver SUV. There are four of us.  _ Kikyo texted.

On cue, the SUV roared up to them, Kikyo jumping out of the passenger seat.

“She’s hurt,” Caliban called to his boss.

Kikyo nodded, fingers already typing on her phone.

“You two, take over trash duty,” Kikyo pointed to the two demons who’d jumped out of the back seat. The demons walked over to Inuyasha, then nodded, and grabbed Naraku from the rockstar.

Inuyasha stood up, and walked directly over to Kagome, “you alright?”

“She’s not,” Kikyo interrupted, “Kagome, you need to get to the hospital. Inuyasha, you should probably get out of here too.”

“No fucking way in---” Inuyasha started arguing.

“Yes fucking way. Unless you want to be all over the news.” Kikyo cut him off mid-sentence, “Cops will need your statement, but if you are here when they arrive, news copters are gonna be all over this.”

Inuyasha threw a look toward Kagome, who was starting to feel a burn in her chest. She was also getting dizzy. She needed to sit down.

“Go back to your hotel. I’ll text Rin once Kagome is settled,” Kikyo looked at Inuyasha, pleading in her voice, “Ambulance is on the way for her.”

Inuyasha looked lost. Finally he gave a curt nod, seeming to have accepted Kikyo’s plea.

“Don’t worry. Kagome is safe now. You saved her life,” Kikyo’s eyes became warm, “By the way… how did you know?”

“I could smell him,” Inuyasha replied, “That’s all.”

Kikyo nodded. Inuyasha looked up suddenly, and Kagome wondered if he could hear the sirens on their way to her. With one final glance at Kikyo and a longing look at Kagome, the silver-haired rockstar who’d just saved her life disappeared into the darkness.

“Do you need anything?” Kikyo walked up to Kagome, standing between her and the still-ranting Naraku.

“I… dunno…” Kagome stuttered. She could feel the veil on her emotions lifting.

“I’m texting Miroku. He’ll let your people know what happened.” Kikyo said the words gently, “Kagome… you did good. After this, that motherfucker is done.”

“I still don’t understand… Inuyasha...” Kagome muttered.

“Rock god and superhero? As if the man didn’t already have a big enough ego,” Kikyo chuckled, trying to put Kagome at ease.

At that moment the veil that sequestered Kagome’s emotions lifted. Kagome felt them surging back, panic, fear, anger, confusion, everything. She wanted to cry, but the searing pain she felt kept the tears at bay. Suddenly, a soft hand touched Kagome’s shoulder, and she saw Kikyo’s eyes boring into her’s.

“You’re safe Kagome,” Kikyo whispered, “I’ll come by the hospital once we’re done here.”

The ambulance lights interrupted the moment, and Kagome let the paramedics take her. At the hospital, the news was mostly good. Cracked ribs, no internal bleeding, no concussion, arms needed some bandages but nothing more, but it came with the advice not to physically exert herself for a while. She could head home in the morning, with a prescription for strong painkillers.

Kikyo kept her word, dropping in to let Kagome know that Naraku was in a jail cell, and Kikyo’s people had eyes on him (and would continue to for as long as necessary). That Rin had been in touch, and that some of her coworkers were on their way.

Shortly thereafter, the medical examiner had been in to assess her injuries, and a couple of officers had come by to take her statement. Kagome sat in her room, grateful for the painkillers, and explained everything that had happened. She held in her tears through the interview, and through the photographing and cataloging of her injuries.

But the moment she watched every member of her crew rush into her hospital room, Kagome stopped holding the pain in. She let it out in waves, how scared she was. How she felt so helpless. How she was so glad that she had them and loved them and didn’t say it enough. And they all told her how much they loved her too, and that she was safe. They insisted she sleep, promising to keep watch over her in shifts (starting with Shiori). She relented and let herself try, knowing that her crew was there for her.

Just outside in the hallway, a glamoured roadie stood sentry, just in case Kikyo hadn’t been able to keep her word that Kagome was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I attempted to make this confrontation as realistic as possible. Angry abusive people who think they've lost everything "have nothing to lose", so Naraku lashed out in the extreme at the person he blamed for all his problems.
> 
> Do you think Inuyasha simply stumbled upon Naraku's scent 😏?


	10. Finding Home

“You can go home,” Kagome grumbled at the overbearing woman standing in her office, “I’m fine.”

“Nice try,” Kikyo growled back, “But that shithead went after you under my nose, because I underestimated him. I’m not taking any chances.”

Kagome wanted to retort, but the pain in her ribs and the bandages on her arm stayed her response. Kikyo had picked her up from the hospital in the morning and escorted her home. Kagome had grumbled, but honestly, she felt reassured knowing Kikyo was there watching over her. She’d walked in, showered, changed her clothes, and walked right back out. Kikyo had not said a word as she opened the door to her SUV, knowing its destination. But now, safely at the Shrine, watching Kikyo loom over her was grating on Kagome’s nerves. It was a reminder of what happened the night before.

“My people are going to be in the building tonight. And you’re definitely going to have an escort,” Kikyo said, “...until I am completely sure that this is over.”

Kagome looked at the woman’s face, and it was only then she realized that Kikyo was as rattled about what had almost happened as she was.

“I’m the idiot who walked home alone,” Kagome mumbled. She didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if Inuyasha hadn’t tracked Naraku’s scent.

“I refuse to blame a person for their attack because they had the ‘audacity’ to walk home alone,” Kikyo pinched the bridge of her nose, “What sort of world do we live in where someone blames themselves when a maniac goes after them? Because she made the ‘mistake’ of walking outside?”

“I didn’t think he was capable of that...” Kagome sighed, “I just thought he was a normal pest. Not a psychopathic pest.”

“Abusive pricks are enough to deal with on a normal day,” Kikyo replied, “This one thought he had nothing to lose.”

Kagome nodded solemnly. She couldn’t lie, knowing that Naraku’s entire business had gone up in flames, that all the women he’d shackled to his disgusting cafés were now free ( _ she should hire a couple new waitresses _ …….) made her smile. But she couldn’t escape the chill that ran down her spine, remembering his hot breath and cold gun to her back.

“How long will it take to feel normal again?” the words rushed out of Kagome’s mouth before she could swallow them back down.

“Dunno…” Kikyo looked thoughtfully at Kagome, “Just remember - you fought like hell. And you’re here and he’s in jail.”

Kikyo looked down at her phone, “Alright, I need to head out. I’ll see you tonight. Miroku has the details for my people who’ll be around.”

“Kikyo…” Kagome smiled up at her, “Thank you.”

Kikyo paused at Kagome’s door, “I’m glad you are okay.”

Kagome and Kikyo shared one final sad smile, and Kikyo was off. Kagome started to take a deep breath - then immediately stopped when a sharp pain ran through her.  _ Right. Cracked ribs. _

Just as she was settling back down, a gentle knock on the door alerted her to Rin’s arrival. Kagome felt the color drain from her face. Shame rushed into her. She had put the band in danger. Because she assumed that Naraku was not a lunatic. Inuyasha could’ve been  _ killed _ because of her.

“I’m so relieved that you’re okay!” Rin wore the kindest smile Kagome thought she’d ever seen. It made Kagome feel even worse.

“I’m so sorry Rin,” Kagome dropped her head, “Let me know if there is anything else I can do to make it up to you.”

“What?” Rin looked genuinely surprised, “You’re apologizing because some lunatic went after…  _ you _ ?”

Kagome didn’t respond.  _ Her _ stupidity in underestimating Naraku put Demonic Aura in danger. She just hoped that Rin wouldn’t take it out on the Shrine.

Rin sighed, “We never quite know when a nuisance is going to become a danger.”

Kagome looked up at Rin, the two’s eyes meeting. Rin had tears forming.

“Kagura has dealt with a ton of stalkers. She is an unpartnered female demon, so demons constantly try to take her. Inuyasha has a pile of hate mail taller than Sessh… And well… Sessh is partnered with a human woman,” Rin explained, “Most of the crap is empty. Kagura has wrecked so many male demons we have a pool of how many she’ll destroy before finding the right partner. Inuyasha could eviscerate every coward who sent him hateful words. And Sessh is terrifying when it comes to defending me. It’s why he and I keep our… marriage… secret.”

“But… I…” Kagome tried to interject.

“You had bad luck. Your harasser was the 1 in 1000 who ended up acting on his hate,” Rin shrugged, “They happen from time to time. And from what I hear, you taking him down has nuked every degradation café in the city. No one wants to be associated with attempted murder.”

“But Inuyasha…” Kagome could not keep her rockstar savior’s name off her tongue.

“Asked me to tip off the press about Naraku - I think he wanted to see the bastard go down even faster,” Rin smiled, “Sometimes it’s funny how things work out.”

Kagome nodded, and felt the shadow of a smile come to her face. Rin was right. But there was still something that Kagome didn’t understand…

“Inuyasha said he tracked Naraku’s scent,” Kagome reasoned out loud, “I’m surprised you let him go off by himself - erm, undisguised.”

Rin laughed, “I can tell you that Sessh did  _ not _ smell Naraku, so when Yash headed off we didn’t think anything of it. Were I to venture a guess, I believe that Yash was following a  _ different _ scent…”

Kagome needed a moment. Inuyasha, rock god, guitarist who could channel the divine and the demonic simultaneously, whose ballads and presence made her feel things -  _ crave _ things (divine and demonic), Inuyasha, who pretended to be a bad-tempered roadie for his own band to give her shit, who showed up unexpectedly not once, not twice, but  _ three _ times to see her… had followed a different scent. Onto her street. In the middle of the night.

“So you know the secret,” Rin whispered, her eyes positively sparkling.

“Why exactly does he do that?” Kagome blurted out, not quite willing to finish her silent train of thought.

“I think he misses a good fight,” Rin shrugged, “He’s been squabbling with Sessh for so long it lost its fire, so getting to yell at people as a roadie just… appealed to him. He gets to boss people around and tell them they’re stupid, without them deferring to his fame. And sometimes he even finds a  _ worthy _ opponent.”

Kagome rolled her eyes, but she was inwardly proud that she took on Inuyasha and won. Sort of. Until he kissed her.  _ Right. _

“Speaking of which,” Rin rustled around in her bag, “I’m here to make you an offer.”

Rin slid the contract across the table to Kagome.

‘ **Demonic Aura makes The Shrine its Home.** ’ - a mocked up press release was the first page. Kagome nearly gasped.  _ What was happening? After what happened yesterday they want to do… this? _

“Stop looking so shocked,” Rin chortled, “I told you that you were one-of-a-kind. We’ve been looking for a place we can… settle. This city has a great recording studio that is demon-friendly, and we’ve wanted to find a venue where they can experiment for a long time. Seeing your little editorial just… something felt special about you. And I was right.  
They resisted me - though they should know better by now… until yesterday.  _ Your _ social media campaign got us new followers, and amplified our messaging to become something even more powerful. Yesterday we became the faces of demons and humans coming together because we were here, standing up for this place. And I don’t think I have ever seen the band so energized after a gig than last night. As if they’d just performed in front of their family, and they knew it. I’ve no doubt it’ll feel the same way tonight, and tomorrow. So… we want your Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We play whatever we want, including unreleased things, and we get the same cut we got for this gig. I’ll let our folks fight Miroku on the specifics, but I wanted you to see it first.”

The ribs were not the only reason that Kagome couldn’t breathe. She felt like she was Cinderella, holding a marriage proposal from the rich prince. But it was so much better. It was her hard work and vision, reflected and amplified by a band that she idolized. They wanted to call her home their home. It was overwhelming. Kagome looked up and Rin, trying to keep tears from crashing down on her. Somehow the worst day of her life was also the best day of her life.

“I… I think…” Kagome managed to halt the advance of happy tears, “We have a deal…”

“Ah! Great!” Rin nearly jumped across the desk, but stopped herself, eyeing Kagome’s bandage, then bounced out of the office, calling, “Looks like I’m going to give Miroku a happy headache today. We can announce tomorrow night.”

Kagome only nodded. This was all too much. Demonic Aura’s home base was going to be The Shrine. She would get to hear their new stuff before everyone else. She would get to watch Koga and Shiori go toe-to-toe. She would get to watch Jinenji find new levels of mastery - as he searched for new ways to represent the band. She would get to watch Souta tweet official Demonic Aura news. She would get to watch Sango and Shippo argue with Jaken about what made the brothers’ hair glow the most radiant silver. She would get to watch Inuyasha riff…… 

Inuyasha.

She would get to watch Inuyasha play and experiment, fang hanging out of his mouth. She would get to joke around with Inuyasha. She would get to watch him stutter and spurt when she teased “Mad Dog.” She would get to thank him for saving her life. 

_ Following a different scent… _

The memory of Naraku’s hot breath on her back had not disappeared, but it had subsided, replaced with joy. So she got up from her desk to rally her troops. Tonight was Demonic Aura’s second concert, and there was still a lot to do.


	11. A Walk to Remember

“Don’t even think about sneaking out of here without me,” Kagome recognized the bark before she turned around. She smirked,  _ this is going to be fun. _

“Oh, kind sir, are you my escort this fine night?” Kagome batted her eyelashes at the glamoured roadie in front of her, “I’m ever so disappointed that  _ Inuyasha _ is not escorting me. How can a girl ever forget the dashing hero who saved her life?”

“Well, Inuyasha had places to be…” Kagome did not miss the look of amusement that crossed Mad Dog’s face as he replied, “Maybe he doesn’t want trouble two nights in a row…”

“Don’t  _ you _ have more important things to do?” Kagome was having far too much fun with this, “I’m still amazed you convinced Kikyo…”

“Keh.” Mad Dog definitely blushed, “Like I couldn’t handle everything that Kikyo’s goons could handle…”

“FINE.” Kagome ‘gave in’, “Be glad that Kikyo is already escorting Shiori home. I’ve never seen Shiori so riled up. But damn, I’ve got to give it to Koga - flirting while playing the concert was a spectacle to behold.”

“That it was…” Mad Dog replied.

“I didn’t think you were there,” Kagome tried to hold back the smirk,  _ Got him. _

“Oh… uh… Inuyasha told me.” Mad Dog turned a shade redder. Kagome held her tongue.

With one final once-over, she deemed the Shrine ready for tomorrow, and headed out, Mad Dog by her side. Kagome smiled, looping her arm through Mad Dog’s.

“Inuyasha really is something special,” Kagome stared off at the horizon, almost grateful that she was talking to “Mad Dog”, it made it easier, “Everything I find out about him makes me like him more.”

“Yeah?” Mad Dog sounded intrigued, “Guess fame does that for a person.”

“You jealous?” Kagome blurted before she could stop herself.

“WHAT? No….” Mad Dog stuttered, then smiled, “Definitely not. Tell me what you like about Inuyasha.”

“Hmm. Besides the fact that he is gorgeous?” Kagome winked, emboldened by the Inuyasha she’d downed just before starting the walk home, “He plays music from his soul. Sometimes… I almost feel like he is talking directly to  _ me _ .”

“What else…”

“He doesn’t seek fame. I swear, he seems more comfortable when he’s not worried about people admiring him,” Kagome was getting so close… “I mean, saving my life was sort of just… a bonus.”

“Keh, any idiot could save your life. Inuyasha ain’t that special,” Mad Dog tried to sound bitter, but it came out as pleased, “But I bet if he asked you out, you’d say yes.”

“Only because I like both sides of him,” Kagome replied,  _ it’s time _ , “I like the god guitarist who whispers encouragement to my bartender when he doesn’t think anyone is looking. And I like the roadie who gives me shit and wants to be treated like a regular person.”

Mad Dog halted so abruptly that Kagome hissed in pain. The look of shock abruptly became a look of concern, as his hand found its way to her ribs. Then recognition of what she said hit his eyes. Kagome simply grinned, then turned to keep heading to her house.

“Fucking bat.” Mad Dog mumbled, just loud enough for Kagome to hear.

“Nothing gets past her,” Kagome mused, taking Mad Dog’s hand, “Now… perhaps hypothetically if I got asked out by a rockstar roadie, I would say yes, on two conditions…”

“...What?..” Mad Dog tried to sound unaffected, he failed.

“First is that he actually ask me,” Kagome said simply, “The other… is that he needs to remove his glamour. I’m tired of the vertigo when I look at you.”

“Keh.”

The two turned on to Kagome’s street. She felt her breath hitch as the wave of memories of the night before splashed over her. Her ribs seared in pain and her muscles seized.

“Hey - you’re safe,” Mad Dog had crossed in front of her, “All’s good. Only other thing around right now is one of Kikyo’s goons, makin’ sure neither of us have a repeat of yesterday.”

Kagome nodded, trying hard to focus on the shimmering demon in front of her. He sighed, then made a decision, pulling the ring from his finger. Instantly, long black hair became silver, with triangular ears perched atop his head, fingernails became claws, and violet eyes became golden. The shimmering was gone, replaced by a gorgeous half-demon rock god.

“Jig’s up, huh?” he smirked, revealing that tantalizing fang of his.

The only thing that could explain what Kagome did the following moment was that she was clearly still affected by brain damage from yesterday. Because the normal Kagome would not place her hands on his cheeks. The normal Kagome would not have pulled Inuyasha’s face to her’s, and the normal Kagome certainly never would have kissed him. Guess it was a good thing that on that night, on that street, she was not the normal Kagome.

“Kagome,” Inuyasha pulled his face away from her’s, golden eyes intense, “Go out with me.”

“Is that a command or a request?” Kagome laughed.

“Whichever one gets you to say yes.” Inuyasha smiled, “Listen… dog demons don’t fuck around - with anything. I’m not adding you to my roster like Koga - shit, I don’t even have a fucking roster. I actually  _ like _ you. Christ woman, I couldn’t stop thinking about you after you wiped the floor with me the first time we met.”

“Yes.” Kagome wasn’t about to say no.  _ Jesus, I clearly have head trauma. This sort of thing doesn’t actually happen to people. _ But it had happened to her.

“FUCK. Yes, cool.” Inuyasha looked like a boy who’d just won the lottery. Which didn’t diminish his raw sexiness one bit.

“Thanks for walking me home,” Kagome leaned in one more time, pressing a kiss onto Inuyasha’s cheek, “And thanks for coming to my rescue yesterday.”

“Keh.” Inuyasha’s face was beet red.

With that, they completed the walk back to Kagome’s house. The walk she had not been able to finish the previous day. Once there, Kagome unlocked her door, then turned to look at Inuyasha. His eyes and hair glowed without the aid of the moonlight. He truly was beautiful.

“See you tomorrow?” Kagome smiled.  
“See you tomorrow.” Inuyasha nodded, then turned around, offering a lazy wave in her direction as he disappeared into the night.

Kagome could feel it, as if it were a small rumbling under her feet. Not just for the Shrine (but that was definitely happening), not just for her (that was definitely happening too), but to the very foundations of how demons and humans came together. The future was not separate but equal, it was what she saw every day as demons and humans alike joked around with Jinenji. It was watching Koga, a full demon, try (and fail) to flirt with Shiori, a half-demon. It was the pro-harmony protestors, who came in even larger numbers the second day of the Demonic Aura concert than the first.

_ I wonder if mom and dad would be proud _ , Kagome mused. But she didn’t need to answer. She knew they would be.


	12. One Year Later...

The buzzing of her phone crashed her sleep hard enough she grunted. Whoever it was was going to feel her wrath.

_ 15 minutes... _   
Sesshomaru’s name was on Kagome’s phone. She would remember to make some extra spicy (and pungent) curry the next time she visited Rin.

After plotting revenge, Kagome rolled over and elbowed the sleeping half-demon next to her.

“Yash, your brother is texting my phone again,” Kagome spoke sleepily as the figure next to her groaned.

“Fucking hell…” Inuyasha crawled over Kagome to look at his own phone, "Oh shit. Get up Kagome, we're late."

“That is physically impossible,” Kagome snorted, attempting to bury her head in her pillow, “It’s not even 6am…”

“You forgot what today is love,” Inuyasha threw the blanket off the both of them. Kagome shuddered at the cold, adding another to her pungent curry revenge list.

What was he talking about? No one, especially no one who worked in a concert venue should see 6am unless it was the  _ end _ of their night. What could possibly..?

_ Shit _ ...   
“The festival… FUCK.” it was Kagome’s turn to bolt out of bed, stampeding toward the closet.

“We tried to stop this, but you and Rin just got so excited… we were helpless,” Inuyasha’s smirk was as aggravating as it was adorable.

“Why didn’t you remind me last night before we… did all the things we did last night?” Kagome grumbled at her silver-haired way-too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good boyfriend, having successfully dressed the bottom half of her body.

“A fucking asteroid could be heading for Earth and I’d still do… all the things we did last night,” Inuyasha purred it, hopping over and kissing Kagome’s neck.

Okay, yes, last night was… fun. Really fun. Really really REALLY fun. Inuyasha had expanded his mastery of the guitar into… the bedroom, Kagome being his more-than-willing musical instrument, and last night he had outdone himself in that department. But now, in the dim twilight of morning, when Kagome was not sure she could put clothing on in the right order and needed the world’s biggest coffee, she questioned her decisions the previous night.

But in all honesty, clothing crooked or no, last night was absolutely worth this morning, especially when she heard the coffee maker’s sweet sweet symphony of coffee being ready.

So all they had to do now was make it through the music festival. That Kagome had organized. Because of what today meant to Demonic Aura, to the Shrine, and to the City. As the two ambled out of the house, a stern looking glamoured demon with long black hair was leaning against his car, looking coldly at the couple, while Rin, as usual, was smiling brightly from the passenger’s seat.

“You’re late,” he deadpanned.

“Tell me what it was like the morning after  _ your _ 1-year anniversary, asshole,” Inuyasha barked, throwing on his ring and turning into “Mad Dog.” Kagome blushed a little bit, but only a little.

“We left some padding in the schedule, but let’s get going,” Kagome smiled, feeling the coffee working its way through her veins (and trying not to run a play-by-play of last night through her head), “The weather is beautiful. And the audience should be animated.”

“I can’t wait! Demonic Aura headlining the first ‘Unity through Music’ concert! It’s so exciting!” Rin spoke as if she’d already had a triple-shot of espresso, “I can’t believe it’s already been a year!”

The group conversed for the rest of the car ride to the old fairgrounds, Rin and Kagome speaking animatedly about what human/demon unity meant, and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha having some sort of argument about being ‘presentable’ under their breath to keep the girls from shushing them. Yes, today was going to be a good day.

A year had passed since the day everything changed.

It was a year since the night that Naraku had attacked her. The trial for Naraku had been quick. One of her neighbor’s security cameras had caught the entire thing. Naraku pleaded guilty, and was going to spend most of the rest of his life in prison. The video had been leaked to the press (including Inuyasha’s heroics), which seemed to just cement the band’s iconic status in the city further. Kikyo promised she would always have eyes on Naraku, and Kagome knew she was good for her word.

It was a year since the Shrine became Demonic Aura’s home. Everyone clamored to get tickets to their Tuesday and Wednesday shows, knowing that there would be new drinks to try, and sometimes they would get to see the brothers argue. It was always best when Demonic Aura tried out new music, and their audience took their responsibility as “music critics” very seriously, leaving little suggestion cards about how they felt, and what part of the Shrine they were in when they listened. Shiori continued to refuse Koga’s pleas to go on a date, stating simply, “when I don’t need to put effort into keeping your beats timed well, I will have effort for that.” (Kagome suspected that both had developed actual feelings for each other but were not yet ready to admit it).

It was a year since Kagome started dating Inuyasha. Sometimes the fights they had in the Shrine were as fiery as those first fights with “Mad Dog”. To compensate, Inuyasha funneled nearly as much of his creativity into making Kagome feel good as he did into his song-writing. The two were inseparable, enjoying quiet moments to whisper and joke around as much as the loud moments where they got each other going. They often walked the city together, hand-in-hand, enjoying each others’ company. Inuyasha wore his glamour and went by “Mad Dog” any time they were in public, in part because he truly was not a fan of his fame, but also because it helped protect Kagome. And even from the start he was extremely protective of her, though that was probably because she’d nearly been shot through the gut in the first week they knew each other.

The most remarkable change was how much the rest of the city now looked like the Shrine. The last of the separationist laws had been repealed, and the whole of the city seemed to celebrate. Demons and humans came out of hiding, parading their friendships and love openly on the streets. The protests that Naraku had tried in vain to organize were the last howl of a dying bigotry, which, while not completely extinguished, had finally been forced into hiding.

Kagome lingered in her thoughts as their car parked. A year felt so inconsequential in the grander scheme of things, but with a catalyst, a year was all it took for everything to change - for Naraku, for the Shrine, for Demonic Aura, for humans and demons, and for herself.

“This festival sold out in record time,” Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, squeezing his hand, “Now, go get prepped. I’ll bet Shiori is having a conniption about how poor the open-air audio sounds…”

“Bat needs to learn that sometimes it’s okay for the mood to overtake the sound,” Inuyasha replied. He wasn’t wrong.

And so, a day of interviews and sound checks and enjoying other human/demon bands proceeded as well as anyone could have predicted. Finally, as the sun was setting over the city, Demonic Aura stepped into the open air, and performed one of their best shows ever to a crowd of humans, demons, and part-demons, there to enjoy the music, and each others’ company.

[ ](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/post/639707632912007168/its-been-a-hot-minute-since-i-did-the-ziggy)

Artwork commission by [ClearWillow](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com)

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